Photographic print developing apparatus



Sept. 22, 1931. P. LANDROCK 1,824,281

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DEVELOPING APPARATUS mulmnmw n In? MW INVENTOR gauilazq/rock 41's ATTORNEYS Sept. 22, 1931. P. LANDROCK 1,824,281

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DEVELOPING APPARATUS I Filed Aug. 4, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 2 $9 I INVENTOR 30 MZMaZrapb A TTORNEYS Sept. 22, 1931. V LND 1,824,281

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTOR %z.'s ATTORNEYS Sept. 22, 1931. P. LANDROCK PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTDEVELOPING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 4. 192a INVEN TORfalllanpzmck A5 ATTORNEYS,

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL LANDROCK, OFROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A SSIGNOR TO PHOTOSTAT CORPORA- TION, OFPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND PHOTOGRAPHICPRINT DEVELOPING APPARATUS Application filed August 4, 1928. Serial No.297,426.

My present invention relates to photography, and more particularly tothe automatic or semi-automatic handling of photographic prints afterexposure; such as the developing, fixing or washing thereof, and

it has for its object to provide a simple, efiicicnt, convenient andeconomical apparatus of this character particularly adapted'for thetreatment of prints in'quantity as they come from a camera or exposingmechanism of the commercial type which is used to copy documents andrelatively small objects of dilferent kinds. The improvements aredirected in part toward the provision of a fluid treating tray orcontainer, the interior parts of which are made readily accessible forcleaning purposes; toward the provision of improved means formanipulating and positioning the print therein, and toward the provisionof effective means for removing it quickly and without injury andwithout an excess of liquid adhering thereto. To these and other endsthe invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts,all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel featuresbeing pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a developing apparatusconstructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of myinvention Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 3 is an end viewshowing the delivery end of the device;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the receptacle body or tray with the otherremovable and re laceable elements removed therefrom;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the assembled o apparatus with only the coverfor the body thereof removed;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of'the carrier that cooperates with the tray,and upon which the moving parts are mounted;

Figure 7 is a top view of the same carrier;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 88 of Figure 5, butalso showing the carrier in place in the tray the moving parts being innormal position;

" Figure 9 is a similar section on the line 9-9 of Figure 5 showing thelid of the delivery opening raised;

Figure 10 is a transverse fragmentary section taken on the line 1010 ofFigure 8;

Figure 11 is a transverse fragmentary section taken on the line l111 ofFigure 8;

Figure 12 is a side view of the tray alone with the detachable partsremoved;

Figure 13 is a side view of the carrier for these parts shown alone;

Figure 14' is a transverse section through the carrier taken on the line1414 of Figure 13, enlarged; a v I Figure 15 is a transverse sectionthrough the carrier taken on the line 15-15 of Figure '7, the same beingalso enlarged, and

Figure 16 is a detail side view of the upper or submerging guide. 7

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

I will first give a general description of the arrangements andmaj orfunctions of the apparatus as a whole, and later describe the structurein detail pointing out the nature of my improvements more specifically.

Referring first more particularly to Figures 1, 2, 8 and 9, I provide apreferably rectangular and relatively shallow tray or receptacle 1 whichis adapted to be enclosed or partially enclosed within adark chamberbeneath a camera or exposing apparatus. The latter is not shown as it issufficient for the purposes of this invention to refer merely to thefact that photographic prints or exposed cut sheets of photographic filmor paper may be fed mechanically or otherwise,

to the apparatus from a position above it or, in the present instance,in a downward direction. The print is received through an opening 2 atone end where its advancing edge first strikes the inclined portion 3 ofa lower guide 4 and passes between the latter and a similar upper guide5 spaced therefrom and from the bottom of the tray on which the lowerguide rests. Both guides are preferably made of round, smooth, polishedwires or bars laid parallel with each other as shown for instance inFigures4 and 5, The print is indicated at P and is sufliciently stiffwhen dry and 8 turning in the direction shown by the arrows.

The shafts are provided with sprockets 9 and are conne: ted for gointmovement by sprocket chains 10. The shaft 8 extends exteriorly andterminates iua crank handle 11 shown in Figures 1 and 2 means 7 of whichthe mechanism can be turned manually. v V

The paddles 6 are so arranged as to operate between certain bars of theupper guide 5 and to brush against the bars of the lower guide 4. henthe print 1 intervenes, a

shown in Figure 10, the paddles gently and yieldingly engage its surfaceand carry it along toward a delivery opening 12 at the opposite end ofthe tray accessible to the operator. "This delivery opening is normallyclosed as shown in Figure 8'by a hinged lid or cover 13 pivoted at l i,which has a limited opening movement, as shown in ure 9. Carried vbythis c 've' in a i is a stop dea hereinafter described'in deta vice forthe advancii edge of'the print consisting in the presentinstance of wireyokes 15 carrying loose'rollers 16. The latter normallyv rest on thebottom guide and are shown with the print abutting them 1.1 Figure 8.When the print has been suiiiciently treated (the'paddlesd also functioning as agitators for theliquid) the lid 13 is raised carrying the stops15 out of the way and permitting further rotation of the paddle toconvey the print up another inclined portion 17 of the lower guide i andout through the opening 12 where it is manipulated bythe operator to itsnext nositionQ The pr it is drawn over a rounded lip 18 at the mouth ofthe opening and cooperating therewith 1s a roller 19 carried by thecover 13,as shown in Figure 8. As soon as the operator has grasped theedge of the print the 119113 is dropped not only to exclude ii ht, butto allow the roller '19 to act as a squeegee in connection with the lip18 and remove ex ess l I 1f" c: 1*? l v 3P1 l an/A iicpnc, iom esuhace.it oe sale civic that in the practice of my invention It mount theroller 19 in slots 20 or sliding bearings so that it is freefrompressure fFOll'l'l-llfi weight of the lid, which latter rests ionthe edge of the tray and only the weight the rollers 7 is imposed, theprint. j

,The foregoing is the general construction and mode of operation of theapparatus which can readilybe applied to and used in connection with acommercial: or other type of'camera by anyone familiar with photog-'raphyh The chemicals used for tie treatpresent invention is to producean apparatus, all parts of which are readily accessible for cleaning. Tothis end I so construct the device that al of the top and interiormechanism may be removed as a unit leaving the peril fully open as shownin Figure 4 with only the lower guide 1 remaining in place where it andthe bottom of the tank can be readily scoured.

The. unit removed as previously described is shown in top and bottomviews in Figures 6 and 7. In fact I prefer to mount the lower guide titself so that it may be removed if desired,'for which purpose the frontends of the bars thereof are anchored in cleats or rails 21 secured tothe front end wall of the tray by screws 22. The opposite rear ends areanchored in the beforem'entioned squeegee lip 18 which is secured on theapron 23 at the rear end of the tray by screws 24.

The said removable unit embodies a carrier frame consisting of sidewalls or plates 24: that fit closely within the tray against the 'llsthereof and resting on the bottom )TifiBCGS and 26 connecting them andrear. These bridge pieces at t eir connecting noints are reinforced bylrcl tet plates 2? toigive greater rigidity; At the forward end thebridge piece has secured to its under side by screws 28 an t.- s iapedbeam 29, the upstanding portion of h const es the edge of the printreceivingopening 2. The other edges of the latter are formed bydownwardly and inwardly turned flanges 30 on the rim of the iilllS eragernent at the forward end and then V the carrier downwardly at therear until it fully enters the tray and rests upon the bottom thereof.As the carrier 24:. is thus rocked into itsccooperative position withre- 'haft 8 carrying the crank handle 11 is ac ommodated in a slot 49 inaside wall of is tray which is preferably reinforced at nispoint by aplate 50.

Screws 28 which hold the bridge piece 25 ii: desired, the upper guidemay also beindependently removed although this is not ordinarilynecessar The iorizontal portion of the beam 29 pro- .ectto the tray, theprojecting portion of jects rearwardly beyond the edge of the bridgepiece 25 to which it is secured to form therewith a-rabbet or seat forthe rear edge of a detachable panel 34: that covers the body of the trayin a light tight manner. The rear end of this cover panel similarlyrests on a similarly formed beam 35 associated with the rearward bridgepiece 26 in a similar manner. The panel has an angularly and downwardlyprojecting plate 36 secured to its under side at this point with whichcoopcrates a downwardly turned flange 37 on the beams 35 to excludelight along the joint. This light baflle 36 extends downas far aspracticable toward the upper guide, and also excludes a majority of thelight which would otherwiseenter through the delivery opening 12 whenthe lid 13 is raised. The cover panel is applied by first engaging thisrear end thereof with the rearward bridge piece and then rocking it downforwardly to engagement at its forward end.

On its other three sides the panel plate 34 is provided with acontinuous downwardly turned flange 38 spaced from its edges, and

one portion thereof acts as a light baflie to protect the seat of thepanel at the forward bridge piece The side flanges 38 are spaced as bestshown in Figures 5 and 10 from flanges 39 at the side edges of the paneland the two of them fit down upon opposite sides of inwardly turnedhorizontal flanges 40 at the top edges of the side plates 24 of thecarrier so that the intervening surface of the panel lies flat uponthese carrier flanges 40 and light is effectively excluded. The outerflanges 39 also embrace the tray itself as is clearly shown in thefigures.

Returning again to the delivery end of the tray, the lid 13 for thedelivery opening 12 is, as before stated, pivoted at 14, which pivotsare carried by the carrier 24 in the region of the bridge piece 26 andthe brackets 27 so that this lid is also removed bodily from the traywith the carrier. Its opening movement is limited by a slotted link 41pivoted on a bracket 42 on the under side thereof at 43. The slottedportion of this link slides guard. The other substantially horizontalangular portion of this plate is pivoted at 46 to swing freely from thelower edge of a bracket plate depending vertically at 47 from the underside of the lid 13. This oflset pivotal attachment of the stop platecauses it to normally swing rearwardlv at an angle when the lid 13 is inclosed position, as shown 5 in Figure 8. In such position the stop yokes15 carried thereby occupy positions in recesses indicated generally at48 (see also Figure *1) in the inclined portion 17 of the lower guide 4,which depressions are formed by bending inwardly alternate groups of thewires constituting the guide. In this way the stop is sure to interceptthe advancing edge of the print I, as shown in Figure 8. But the stopplate 45 is positioned at all times by engagement with. the pin 44, andwhen the lid 13 is raised the stop plate rides again'stthe pin, and isswung rearwardly to a vertical position as shown in Figure 9. The yokesand rollers 15 and 16 are similarly carried, rearwardly away from theopening 12 and away from the lower guide so that there is a combinedupward and lateral displacing movement that gives greater clearance forthe passage of the print up the incline 17 and out through the opening12, than would otherwise be afforded.

A photographic print developing or treating apparatus made in accordancewith my invention may be constructed throughout substantially entirelyof non-corrodible sheet metal; it is simple in construction andmanipulation, and all parts are ready accessible for cleaning purposes.

I claim 'as my invention:

1. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving an opening for the introduction of an exposed print at one end,of an upper submerging guide for the prints spaced from the bottom ofthe tray and a quickly and easily removable and replaceable carrierfitting within said tray and supporting said guide and also carrying acover for the tray.

2. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving an opening for the introduction of an ex- .posed print at oneend, of an upper subinerging guide for the prints spaced from the bottomof the tray, a quickly and easily removable and replaceable carrierfitting within the tray and supporting said guide, and a liquidagitating device also supported by the carrier and movable bodilytherewith.

3. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination with a trayhaving an opening for the introduction of an exposed print at one end,of an upper submerging guide for the prints spaced from the bottom ofthe tray, a quickly and easily removable and replaceablecarrier fittingwithin the tray and supporting said guide, an d a print feeding devicealso supported by the carrier and movable bodily therewith.

4. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving an opening for the introduction of an exposed print at one end,of an upper submerging guide for the prints spaced from the bottom ofthe tray, a quickly and easily removable and replaceable carrier fittingwithin the tray tray pivo= and supporting said guide, a liquid agitatingand print feeding device supported by the carrier and movable bodilytherewith, and a displaceable' cover panel for the tray also supportedby the carrier.

7 =5. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with atray having an opening for the introduction of an exposed print at oneend, of a feeding'device for the prints operating within the tray, andaquickly and'easily removable and replaceable carrier fitting'within thetray and upon which the feeding device is supported for removal asa unittherewith.

6. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving an opening for the introduction of an exposed print at one end,of a carryingframe fitting closely within the tray and embodying side 7frame and terminating in an exteriorly arranged crank portion and printfeeding devices within the tray operated by the shaft, a side wall ofthe tray being slotted to accommodate the shaft and permit the removaland replacement of the carrying frame.

8. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayadapted to receive photographic prints, and having in wardly turnedflangeson opposite walls, of a cover panel having pairs of relativelyspaced downwardly projecting flanges at its edges fitting on theinturned flanges of the tray, the portion of he cover panel between theflanges resting fiat upon the fianges of the tray.

9. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayadapted to receive photographic prints and provided with a bridge piece,of a cover at one end of the tray pivot-ed adjacent to the bridge pieceto afford limited access to the interior and a cover panel covering thebody of the tray and cooperating with the bridge piece, said cover panelbeing provided adjacent to the latter with a depending light guard.

.10. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayadapted to receive photographic prints and provided with a bridge pi cehaving a depending flange on its under side, of a cover at one end ofthe ed adj ac nt to the bridge piece to afford limited access to theinterior, and a cover panel covering th body of the tray and cooperatingwith the bridge piece, said cover panel being provided adjacent to thelatter with an an ular depending light guard flange cooperating 'Wlbhthe edge of the flange on the bridge piece. i

11. In a photographic developing appara.

tus, the combination with a tray havlng a print receiving end and printdelivery end, of quickly and easily removable and replaceable carrierassociated with the tray, a cover panel on the carrier'covering the bodyof the tray and a cover hinged to the carrier of the tray, a coverhinged to the carrier at the delivery end of the tray and adapted togive limited access to the tray, both covers being r movable bodilyas aunit with the carrier, and a print feeding device onthe latter al oremovable bodily as a unit therewith.

13. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving a print receiving end and a print delivery end,

of a quickly and easily removable and re placcable carrier associatedwitlrthe tray, a

cover panel on the carrier covering the body of the tray, a cover hingedto the carrier at the delivery end of the tray and adapted to givelimited access to the tray, both covers being removablebodily as. a unitwith the carrier, and an immersing guide for the prints'mounted on thecarrier in spaced relationship to the bottom of the tray and alsoremovable as a unit with the carrier.

14. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with a trayhaving a print'receiving opening at one end and a print delivery openingat the other end, and a cover panel light sealing the body of the tray,of an independently displaceable lid for the delivery epening and aquickly and easily detachable and replaceable carrier cooperating withthe trayand'supporting the lid and cover so that the last two mentionedelements may be removed bodily as a unit therewith for access to theinterior of thetray. i i i 15. In a photographic developing apparatus,the combination with a covered tray hav ing a print receiving opening atone end and a print delivery opening at the other.

end, of an independently displaceable lid for the delivery opening, adetachable and re placeable carrier cooperating with the and supportingthe lid, and a print submergguide in the tray mounted on and removableas a unit with the carrier.

16. In a photographic developing. apparatus, the combination with acovered tray having a print receiving opening at one end and a printdelivery opening at the other end, of an independently displaoeable lidfor the delivery opening, a detachable and replaceable carriercooperating with the tray and supporting the lid, and a print feedingdevice in the tray mounted on and removable as a unit with the carrier.

17. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acovered tray having print receiving and print delivery openings atopposite ends and a print feeding device operating within the tray, of ahinged lid for the delivery opening having a limited opening movement,an inclined guide for the print beneath the lid having a depressiontherein, and a stop for the advancing edge of the print depending fromthe'lid and normally occupying the depression in the guide.

18. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acovered tray having print receiving and print delivery openings atopposite ends and a print feeding device operating within the tray, of ahinged lid for the delivery opening having a limited opening movement,an inclined guide for the print beneath the lid, a pivoted stop for theadvancing edge of the print depending from the lid and normallycooperating with the guide, and means contacting with the stop forswinging it rearwardly away from the incline of the guide as the lid israised.

19. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acovered tray having print receiving and print delivery openings atopposite ends and a print feeding device operating within the tray, of ahinged lid for the delivery opening having a limited opening movement,an inclined guide for the print beneath the lid, a pivoted stop for theadvancing edge of the print depending from the lid and normallycooperating with the guide, a fixed abutment for swinging the stoprearwardly away from the incline of the guide as the lid is raised and aslotted link on the lid cooperating with the abutment to limit theraising movement of the lid.

20. In a photographic developing apparatus, the combination with acovered tray having print receiving and print delivery openings atopposite ends and a print feeding device operating within thetray, of ahinged lid for the delivery opening having a limited opening movement,an inclined guide for the print beneath the lid, and a squeegee rollermounted in sliding bearings on the under side of the lid to cooperatewith the lip of the delivery opening so that when the lid is closed theweight of the roller only rests upon the print. V e

21. Photographic developing apparatus comprising a covered tray havingprint receiving and print delivery openings, print feeding meansoperatingwithin the tray, a hinged lid adjacent the delivery opening,abutment means for limiting downward movement of said hinged lid, a pairof slotted bearings depending from the under side of

